The Struggle
by luhluhbuh
Summary: Sookie is late for date night with Eric which is very unlike her. Eric calls his sister and Sookie's best friend Pam to go check on her and what she finds might just change things forever. AU/AH.
1. Chapter 1

******Hello! First of all I would just like to apologise to anyone who has been reading Believe Me. I have not abandoned it completely, I have just been struggling to write the next part and just needed a break from it. I promise I will return to it at some point! I woke up this morning with this idea for a story in my head and just had to start writing it, normally I wouldn't start writing another story in the middle of writing another but I did need a break from the other one and I thought that if I got back into writing then I would have more ideas for Believe Me. **

**Just a little warning!   
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**This story is going to be very disturbing and upsetting in some parts of it so if you are sensitive to violence and abuse then this story is probably no good for you.**

**Hope you enjoy this story and I would love it if you reviewed and let me know what you think and if I should continue!**

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**Chapter One**

Where the hell was she? Sookie was never normally late. The complete opposite actually, she always tried to arrive around 15 minutes earlier. Always.

I am sitting in her favourite restaurant for our weekly date night. We have been together for 2 years now and because of work, family and friends we struggle to get out and about sometimes. Sure we see each other a lot but we are normally so tired or desperate to have alone time that we spend our time in either her place or mine. So we decided about 5 months ago when things started to get a bit repetitive and a little bit boring that we should try our best to get out more. We decided that on a Wednesday night every week we would go out for a meal and then either go see a movie or go dancing or choose something else to do.

It has actually helped us get on a bit better as well, we had started having more disagreements and got a bit too comfortable with each other since we just sat around watching the tv together all the time. I think it was very healthy for our relationship to get out a bit, go on a walk after the meal and give us a chance to experience the outside world together.

Sookie always made me laugh and would try guess people's back story and the stuff she would come up with...well she was very imaginative. It was always a laugh and if one of us was especially tired then we would take it easy and just try make the activity after the meal a short one or something that required very little energy.

I had been waiting for her for around 20 minutes and had tried calling her cell a couple of times and she wasn't picking up so I was starting to get a bit worried. My twin sister Pam lived in the same apartment building as Sookie and was a good friend of hers, she was how we met each other. I knew that Pam would still be at home so I decided to ring her to ask her to go see if Sookie was at home.

"Hey, what's up?" She picked up on the 4th ring.

"Hey sis, could you do me a favour and go knock on Sookie's door please? She was meant to be at the restaurant 20 minutes ago and she isn't picking up her cell."

"Wow that's very un-Sookie like. Sure I'll go give her a knock now," I could hear her shut a door behind her.

"Okay thanks Pam, ring me back if she doesn't answer okay?"

"Sure thing."

I hung up and sat fidgeting with the edge of the table cloth. I just had a bad feeling and couldn't shake it off. I knew that if Sookie was okay then she would have text me or rang me to tell me she was going to be late. But then again maybe I was letting my imagination get ahead of itself. Her phone might have died and her car could have broke down or she could be held up at work and hasn't had a chance to ring me yet.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. Maybe I should just head over to Sookie's anyways and just wait for her there if she is just late. I had a key so I could just let myself in and cook something for her instead for when she got home.

Just as I was about to stand up my phone rang. It was Pam.

"She isn't there?"

"Eric you need to come here, NOW!" I had never heard my sister so shaken. Fuck. What has happened?

I stood up and threw a couple of bills on the table for taking it up for so long in a busy restaurant. My heart was racing and I was scared to ask what had happened.

"What's happened? Is she there? Is she okay?"

Pam didn't answer but she burst into tears on the other end of the phone. FUCK! I started running down the side walk. Sookie's apartment was only a couple of blocks down.

"Pam, Pam! What has happened? You're really scaring me here!"

"Are you the one that called miss?" I heard someone say in the background.

"Pam who is that? What's going on?"

"Eric...just...hurry...please," she choked out in between sobs. Then the line went dead.

WHAT THE FUCK HAD HAPPENED?

As I turned around the corner onto Sookie's street I paused. Outside her building there was an ambulance and 2 police cars.

I started running towards them, and I don't think I've ever ran that fast before but it still felt too slow.

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******What does everyone think? I have already written the second chapter which explains what Pam has found and will be updating that tonight. REVIEW PLEASE! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

When Eric called me I was just about to start to get ready for work. Eric and I own our own restaurant/club. It has an eating area and a club area and one side of it is normally closed off while the other is open. Eric prefers to run the restaurant during the day which closes at 8. Then it is all cleaned up while people are preparing to open the club side, which I run. It means we both get to do what we love in the same building but at different times. It is very popular for both families and nightlife lovers and because of that we are now very well off.

He sounded quite worried and I admit I was a bit when he told me Sookie was late for their date. I had known Sookie for 6 years and I knew how much she hated lateness. If she hadn't let Eric know she was going to be late then something must be wrong.

Luckily I still had about 2 hours until I really needed to get going so before I had ended the call with Eric I headed out of my apartment. Sookie lived on the floor below me so I could just pop down whenever I wanted and hers was right next to the stairwell as well so I never needed to put shoes on or even get fully dressed if I wanted and I could go unseen by anyone else.

I was just about to knock on Sookie's door when I noticed it wasn't completely shut.

"Sookie?" I called out as I pushed the door open gently. I didn't get a reply. "Sook you here?"

Again nothing. I took a step back and lent against the wall opposite her door. Shit, this doesn't look good. I knew that something must have happened. Maybe she is just at work but her apartment was broken into?

I knew the sensible thing to do would be to ring the police just in case. If it had been broken into they would need to come check it out. I dialled 911 and explained to the operator that I thought someone had broken into my friend's apartment.

"And where is the woman who owns this apartment miss?"

"Well I don't know, she was meant to meet her boyfriend but never showed up, that's why I came to see if she was in," I explained quickly.

"Okay so have you been in the apartment to check if she is inside?"

"No, I thought it would be best to call the police first. Should I go in?"

"No miss, I think you should wait until a police officer arrives on scene to be on the safe side," I hadn't thought that she would still be in there, I hadn't thought of that but since the operator asked it made me determined to find out.

I ignored the woman talking to me down the phone as I pushed open Sookie's front door and stepped in.

Everything looked fine in the living room and the kitchen. I was holding my breath as I walked past the bathroom and peeking inside, nothing wrong in there. I looked towards her room at the end of the corridor. I could hear my heart beating loudly and the woman squeaking down the phone that I was holding at my side.

I had a horrible feeling; my hairs were standing up on the back on my neck as I got closer to Sookie's room.

The door was slightly ajar and I gave it a small, gentle kick with my foot and let it swing open.

My heart sank; I thought I was going to throw up.

On the bed was a naked Sookie, with her arms tied to the bed. Her shoulders looked in an unnatural position; her arms were crossed over at her elbows and tied together, her wrists then tied to the slacks on her headboard so that they were the wrong way round. She was lying on her back and her legs were spread wide.

I could see red marks, cuts and bruises covering almost all of her body. Her face was swollen and she had blood dripping from a cut on her forehead. Her lips were also twice the size they were meant to be and had a gash on her top lip. Her lips were slightly open and I could see that she had blood in between her teeth.

Worst of all there was blood coming from between her legs. She looked like she had been beaten severely down there... I had never seen anything this disturbing.

My eyes filled up instantly and I stepped out the room, not being able to look at my best friend any longer. I returned the phone to my ear and told the operator to send and ambulance as well. She started asking a series of questions and I tried my best to give her the answers she needed but I was too distracted.

She asked if Sookie still had a pulse and begged me to go into the room to check. I couldn't do it, but I could see that her chest was rising and falling, even if it was just slightly. I had tears streaming down my face and the woman was reassuring me that the police car was right around the corner and an ambulance had already set off.

I told her I needed to call Eric and thanked her then hung up.

I walked out of the apartment while I waited for him to pick up.

"She isn't there?" he asked as soon as he answered.

"Eric you need to come here, NOW!" I had started shaking and I knew he would be able to tell something serious was wrong.

I could hear him move through the restaurant and out onto the street.

"What's happened? Is she there? Is she okay?" he sounded scared.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I burst into a full on sob and sank to the ground.

"Pam, Pam! What has happened? You're really scaring me here!"

"Are you the one that called miss?" I hadn't seen 2 policeman and 2 paramedics come out from the elevator. I nodded and pointed towards Sookie's door.

"Pam who is that? What's going on?" I could tell that Eric was running as he sounded out of breath and I could hear the wind rushing past his phone.

"Eric...just...hurry...please," I managed to choked out in between sobs. I couldn't listen to him rushing to get here. I needed a few moments to grow strong for my brother and best friend. As soon as Eric arrived and saw what had happened I knew that he would be heartbroken. I had to be strong for him like he has been so many times for me. I ended the call before he could say anything else and waited for him to arrive. I could hear voices and a commotion going on inside Sookie's apartment. I tried to block it out as I tried to pull myself together for when Eric arrived.

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**...did you like it? I haven't really wrote anything like that before so would love to find out what you think? Too much? Not enough? More details? More graphic or less? Shall I Keep with it?**


	3. Chapter 3

******I'm on a roll so another chapter done! Let me know what you think, I know these chapters aren't very long and they are kind of ending on a cliff hanger but I do that so I give myself a chance to figure out what is going to happen next and I personally like reading stories like that since it makes me desperate to find out what happens next and to read the next chapter as soon as it comes out so I'm just writing it how I like to read them. **

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**Chapter 3 **

I raced up the stairs onto the 3rd floor, Sookie's floor. I knew the elevator would be too slow. I burst through the door to find Pam sitting crumpled on the floor outside Sookie's door. As soon as she heard the noise she looked up and her expression made my heart shatter.

I had never seen my sister look so broken.

This was bad. Worse than I might have thought. I was terrified to know what had happened. She didn't say anything and neither did I.

I walked past her and into the open apartment.

"Excuse me sir you can't come in here," an officer put his hand on my chest to stop me going any further. As if that was going to stop me.

"I'm her boyfriend, I need to see her. What's happened? Is she okay?" I pushed past him and headed towards her bedroom.

"Sir I really need you to stop, you can't just walk in there!" He grabbed my arm and I spun around to face him.

"Then tell me what's going on! What has happened to her?" I yelled, I hated that I didn't know yet.

"Maybe you should take a seat," he suggested. I just continued to stare at him, "Okay then. Well Mr?"

"Northman, Eric Northman."

"Well Mr Northman, your girlfriend has been severely assaulted. She has had quite a bit of damage done to her and the paramedics are in there with her now getting her ready to take her to hospital. We believe that whoever did this came back with her as there is no sign of a break in or of anything out of place throughout the apartment. Your sister Pam came in and had a look around the rest of the place for us and said that nothing else was a miss so that makes it look like she brought him back with her or he had a key."

Well fuck. I did need to take a seat. I stumbled back to the sofa and dropped down. The police officer came over and sat on the coffee table in front of me.

"By assaulted you mean sexually?" I could barely say the words and it came out as a whisper.

"I am afraid so yes. Whoever did this to her was a monster. Regrettably whoever did this left no evidence behind. No semen trace left which suggests he used a condom, no finger prints left which suggests he was wearing gloves. We have officers heading over to check CCTV footage of the building and of the surrounding streets to try get an image of this man to put him in the public eye."

"How badly hurt is she?"

"It's pretty bad," he sighed and rubbed his hand over his face as if to erase the memory of her.

"I want to see her. I want to know everything that's been done to her!"

"You will be able to go in the ambulance with her I am sure. But until then you have to stay out here. And concerning everything that has been done to her, we are not completely sure yet. Your sister was the one who found her and saw the state that she was in, but I'd take a bet that she wish she hadn't seen her like that." He stood up then and went to stand so that he was blocking my way into her room.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

My heart was beating furiously. I was trying to think over everything he had told me. The person who did this got in without breaking in. Did that mean she brought someone back here like a friend? Someone she knew? Someone maybe she was sleeping with? I hated to think that she would cheat on me but my mind was racing and I couldn't stop the thought from entering my head.

No I don't believe she would do that to me. Sookie hated cheating and had broken up with her last boyfriend because she was cheating on her and I knew how much she hated cheating. Sookie wasn't the type to do that. She was such a good person.

A good person who has just had something unspeakable done to her. Something unspeakable that I still didn't understand or know just how bad it was.

Pam was the only one who would tell me. Pam who was probably still a mess on the floor outside. Somehow I found the strength in my legs to stand up and walk outside to where she was sitting. She was wearing her sweats and her long blonde hair was tied up on the top of her head. She had black steaks down her puffy red face and her body was shaking.

I sat down in front of her and lifted her chin so that she would look at me. As soon as her eyes met mine she broke down all over again. She threw her arms around my neck and sobbed. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and I felt my own tears fall down my cheeks.

"Pam please, nobody will tell me what's happened," I whispered into her hair.

"Oh Eric," she held on tighter for a brief second before backing away slightly but still held on tight to my neck. "I have never seen anything like it. Her front door was open slightly and I called out but she didn't answer. I walked through every room still calling out and everything looked fine. I went in her room and..." she took a deep breath and more tears spilled down her face. "She was tied to the bed with her arms crossed over and tied tightly at her elbows, her shoulders looked...well it didn't look comfy."

"Go on," I pushed.

She took a deep breath before continuing, "She was beaten badly, her face all cut up and her body looked like it had taken a good beating. She had no clothes on and I could see..." Pam's face crumpled as she lent her forehead against mine. "I could see that she had been raped or something, there was blood coming from between her legs and on the bed. I couldn't stay in there with her so I that's all I saw. Eric it was awful," she lent her head back on my shoulder and squeezed me.

I couldn't even imagine what Pam had told me. It sounded like something from a horror movie. It wasn't sinking in that she was talking about Sookie. My Sookie. The girl I was madly in love with and wanted to marry some day and have a family with. The girl who makes me smile and my whole day light up just from one little text.

I squeezed Pam even tighter and I let myself cry. It was unimaginable. Why had this happened to such a loving, caring person. Why had it happened to my girlfriend? I was suddenly so angry that this had happened to her! Nobody deserved to have this happen to them so why her? I couldn't think of one single person who Sookie talked badly of or that any one person that talked badly of her.

The elevator pinged and 2 more paramedics came out with a gurney and headed inside the apartment. A second later the officer from before came out.

"Sir we are taking her to the hospital now. If you would like to stand aside and get ready to go with her as soon as they bring her out."

I was scared shitless of what I was going to see when they brought her out.


	4. Chapter 4

******Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites so far! Every single one of those makes it easier for me to right more. **

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**Chapter 4**

******E.P.O.V**

When the paramedics brought her out all I could see of her was her face. She had been wrapped tightly in one of those giant silver foil blankets. But what I saw of her made my heart shatter. Her beautiful, beautiful face was barely recognisable as Sookie's.

Her gorgeous lips were cut and twice the size they were meant to be and were covering in blood. Her jaw didn't look like it was sitting right, like it was out of place. Her closed eyes looked swollen and dark, with bruises forming as I looked at her. Her eyelashes were wet and stuck together, the thought of her crying and screaming throughout this ordeal made my knees buckle and I felt light headed. She had a big gash on the forehead above her right eye and blood trailing down the side of her face from the wound.

It didn't feel real. This was a nightmare. I stumbled slightly and had to brace myself on the wall to steady myself. How could someone do this to my beautiful Sookie?

"Sir are you coming with us?" a paramedic asked as he held on to my arm to help my lack of balance. All I could do was nod.

"Eric I will follow behind you in my car," Pam called out after me as I numbly followed after Sookie.

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**P.P.O.V**

I had never seen Eric look so broken. He didn't look like the strong, powerful, confident and protective man that he has always been. He looked like a heartbroken, scared little boy who has had his whole life flipped upside down.

I suppose he has.

I couldn't speak to him when he first arrived. I just couldn't tell him how I had found her. All I could do was point into the direction of her apartment and watch him go inside. I knew he wouldn't get very far and I knew he would come back to me for answers. I didn't want to tell him, I didn't want him to have that image of Sookie in his mind. It was something that nobody would ever forget. But at the same time I did want to tell him. I hoped that if I shared with him what I saw then I would be able to get the image of Sookie just lying there the way she was that was burned into my brain that I would be able to forget it.

I sat and waited for him, I could hear him yelling at the officer who wouldn't let him past, and then I heard the soothing voice of said officer. There was silence for a while then I heard footsteps come towards the front door.

Eric appeared and I couldn't find the strength to look up at him. He sat down in front of me and I felt his hand gently grab my chin as he tilted my head back so that he could look at me. As soon as his eyes met mine I couldn't hold it in and I broke down all over again. I threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. He wrapped his big arms tightly around me and I felt a wetness drip down onto my head and the side of my face, he was crying silently.

"Pam please, nobody will tell me what's happened," he whispered into my hair, his voice shook with his tears.

"Oh Eric," I held on tighter, squeezing him with all my strength for a second before backing away slightly. "I have never seen anything like it. Her front door was open slightly and I called out but she didn't answer. I walked through every room still calling out and everything looked fine. I went in her room and..." I paused and took a deep breath and I felt more tears spilled down my face. "She was tied to the bed with her arms crossed over and tied tightly at her elbows, her shoulders looked...well it didn't look comfy."

"Go on," he pushed and he reached up to wipe away my tears.

I took another deep breath before continuing, "She was beaten badly, her face all cut up and her body looked like it had taken a good beating. She had no clothes on and I could see..." I didn't know how to tell him the worst part, I lent forwards so my forehead was resting against his. "I could see that she had been raped or something, there was blood coming from between her legs and on the bed. I couldn't stay in there with her so I that's all I saw. Eric it was awful," I threw myself back against him and started crying hard into his shoulder again.

Eric didn't respond at all at first, he just sat there with his arms wrapped loosely around me as he took in what I had told him. Then his arms held me tighter and I felt his body shaking. The sound of a grown man crying is heart shattering. I didn't know if my heart could take anymore trauma.

The elevator pinged and 2 more paramedics came out with a gurney and headed inside the apartment. A second later the officer from before came out.

"Sir we are taking her to the hospital now. If you would like to stand aside and get ready to go with her as soon as they bring her out."

I let go of Eric and he struggled to stand up. He stood out of the way while they brought her out on the gurney. I watched his face fall, his expression turn to excruciating pain and his body tremble and stumble as he braced himself against the wall as he took her in. He was going to die when he saw the rest of her. He had just seen her face as her tiny body had been wrapped up in a giant thermal blanket.

I could hear someone say something to Eric and he nodded, never taking his eyes off of Sookie. He followed behind her looking lost.

"Eric I will follow behind you in my car!" I called out after him. I wasn't sure if he heard me or not. I had to give my statement to the police before I could leave and I had to explain every little detail yet again to them.

Eventually they let me go and they told me which hospital they were taking her to. On my way there I was thinking about what the near future will be like. I will ring Sookie's work and let them know what has happened and that she won't be in for a while. I will have to wait to see what the full damage is and see how long it will take her to recover before I can ring them. No doubt Eric won't be leaving her side until she is fully healed so I will have to ring Felicia, Eric's second in command and tell her that she is in charge for now.

Sookie doesn't have any family left so at least I don't have to inform them of what has happened. Her parents and older brother died in a car accident when she was only 7 years old. She went to live with her Gran after that until she was 18. Gran died 4 years ago, it would have been one of the most difficult things having to explain to her what has happened to her granddaughter.

I found a space to park my car and ran into the emergency room. The nurse told me which ward Sookie was on after I lied to her and said I was her sister. I ran down the corridors until I finally spotted Eric sitting on a chair outside a room.

I sat down next to him, knowing that they won't have told him anything yet as they are probably still examining her to find out all the damage.

Silently he reached over and took my hand. We just sat there in silence, holding hands and letting fresh tears stream down our faces.

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**What do you think?**


	5. Chapter 5

******Hi it's me again! wacked another chapter out here, I know it's not very long but I find it easier to write in little bits and it means you get to know more of the story sooner. This one might be a bit upsetting for some people as we find out what's happened to Sookie, so if you are sensitive to abuse or gory details then this chapter might not be for you. **

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**Chapter 5**

**E.P.O.V**

It had been 2 torturous hours since we had arrived at the hospital.

Since I was only Sookie's boyfriend I wasn't allowed in there with her and they wouldn't tell me anything. A nurse who was a friend of our mother's worked at this hospital and Pam had found her and explained what had happened. She said she would try find out what is happening and come tell us.

Just sitting waiting was driving me crazy. I didn't want to think. I wanted to act. I wanted to hunt down whoever did this to her and kill them. Sitting around was making me imagine what she had been through, I couldn't stop myself from doing so and it broke my heart over and over again just thinking about it.

Finally one of the doctors and our mother's friend, Maxine came out of the room they had Sookie in.

"Mr Northman?" I nodded and stood up. "I am Doctor Crane and I believe you know Nurse Fortenberry? If you would like to follow me we can go talk somewhere a bit more private."

I grabbed hold of Pam's hand and pulled her up. Dr Crane raised an eyebrow as if to question why she was coming too.

"She is my twin sister and Sookie's best friend. She deserves to know what has happened as well." I said it much harsher than I should of done but him standing there raising his eyebrow at me was just wasting time!

"Okay then, please follow me," He lead us down the corridor into the family room. "Would either of you like any coffee? Tea?"

"No, just tell us what is wrong with Sookie. Is she going to be okay?"

He sighed and took a seat, gesturing for us to do the same. I knew I was probably holding Pam's hand far too tight but I couldn't release it, I was too scared.

"Miss Stackhouse has had quite a serious traumatic experience and as a result of that has quite a lot of injuries..."

"We know that already! Tell us what they are and if they she is going to be okay!" Pam shouted at the doctor, interrupting him.

"Miss Stackhouse has received hard blows to her ribs and 5 of them have been broken. One of her shoulders has been dislocated because of the position she was forced into, the other one was close to also being dislocated. She has severe rope burn around her wrists and elbows that has rubbed down quite deep. She was bleeding internally, probably because of the blows she received but we have managed to stop that so she is not at risk from bleeding out. She is badly bruised on all her limbs and torso but nothing else has been broken other than what I have already told you. Her face was also badly beaten and has a hairline fracture on her cheekbone. Her face will probably be black and blue for a while. The cut on her forehead looked worse than it is and head injuries tend to bleed more profusely but it is nothing to worry about."

Fuck. That was just so much to take in.

"W-what about...her...you know." Pam took in a deep breath and I could feel her squeezing my hand just as tight as I was squeezing hers. "She was raped right? Has anything been damaged because of that?"

"Well yes it is obvious she was, we were very concerned about that but after some examinations it looks like no permanent damage has been caused. There were some quite serious tears at the opening of her vagina and some her cervix which lead us to believe that whoever did this was far more forceful and protruding than was safe to do so. As a result Miss Stackhouse will be in quite a lot of pain when she comes round but we have her on a very strong pain relief. We are just relieved that no permanent damage has been done, it may take her a while to recover mentally and physically but she will be okay."

I found it hard to be relieved after hearing what had been done. I felt bile rise up my throat. I have never been so angry, I was seeing red. My eyes filled up and I couldn't see anything because of my tears. I was trying to hold them in, I wanted to be strong. Strong for Sookie and strong for Pam but I was just so furious.

"Eric, shh it's going to be okay," Pam stood up and came and sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I was bursting with too many emotions so as soon as I was wrapped up in her arms I felt like she was holding me tight enough for me to let them all out, she would keep me together.

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**P.P.O.V**

I felt like my hand was broken Eric had been holding it so tight. I didn't complain though. I knew he needed me here, he needed me to be the strong one. I could see him coming apart at the seams.

After the doctor had explained everything I could feel Eric's hand shaking. I looked over and his expression almost killed me. His eyes were glossy and tears were close to brimming over. He was biting his bottom lip, trying to stop it from trembling but it was no use. He looked so upset, so angry, so relieved. I could see his emotions fluttering across his face as lightening speed.

Still holding his hand I stood up and sat on his lap.

"Eric, shh it's going to be okay," I slipped my hand out of his grasp and wrapped myself round my brave brother. He was holding it together so well, but I knew he needed to let it out.

I heard the door click shut and noticed that the doctor and Maxine has let themselves out quietly, to let us absorb this information in peace.

I squeezed Eric tightly and then he let out a broken sob. A noise so primal that just screamed how much pain he was feeling right now. I knew he would be torturing himself. He was that kind of person. I was waiting for him to blame himself for not being there, I knew the guilt would start eating at him.

I just sat on his knee and tried to rock his torso back and forwards, stroking his hair, trying to sooth him.

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**Like it? In the next chapter Sookie will be waking up so we can see how she is doing and what she remembers, review review review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! Sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days, I went out for a friend's birthday and then had to spend a couple of days recovering! I also struggled a but with this chapter, I knew what I wanted to happen but it wasn't coming out right. I did have a little cry at this chapter as well when I wrote it so just a warning! Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter 6**

**E.P.O.V**

Once I had pulled myself together there was a knock at the door, Maxine came in after a pause.

"Hey darlin' Sookie is awake now, she is very confused and disorientated but you can come see her if you want?" she spoke so softly, she definitely was friendly and soothing enough to be a nurse.

I stood up as soon as she finished, pulling Pam to stand up with me. I didn't let go of her hand as I walked towards the door. We followed her back to the room they were keeping Sookie in and Maxine opened the door and stood back for me to enter.

My eyes filled up all over again as soon as I laid my eyes on Sookie. She looked so beaten, confused and lost.

"Eric!" she shout whispered and held her arm out before wincing and placing it back on the bed next to her.

I crossed the room in 2 steps and sat on the edge of her bed and took hold of her hand. I wanted to stroke her face but I didn't know if it would hurt her. I just sat and let my eyes roam all over every inch of her poor face. She was still beautiful, even with all the ugly cuts and bruises that marked her skin.

"Sookie, I am so sorry that this happened to you. I-I should have been there...I could have protected you-"

"No Eric, don't blame yourself for this. These kinds of beatings happen on the streets all the time." She gave a small smile and squeezed my hand. Her smile faulted a bit when she saw the look of confusion on my face.

"On the street? What are you talking about Sookie?"

"I-I got attacked on my way to meet you. I think I did anyways..." her eyes went dropped down to her lap and her eyebrows furrowed together before she could stop herself but it obviously caused her a bit of discomfort to this as she took a sharp breath in and then tried to relax. "I can remember walking towards the restaurant, then getting hit over the head and then it all went black."

I turned around to look at Pam who was standing in the doorway. She was frowning and nodded at me, obviously reading my face asking if I should tell her that was only the beginning of it.

"Sweetheart, you were found in your apartment. Pam found you and called the police and an ambulance." I stroked her face as gently as I could as her eyes widened.

"But how did I get there? Why would someone take me back to my own apartment? Why not down an alley or something?"

"The person who did this to you is a monster Sookie, that's why. A sick fuck!" Pam spat out from behind me.

"Did the doctor tell you everything that has happened to you Sookie? All your injuries?" Something wasn't quite clicking for her and I realised she might not know the full extent of what has happened to her.

"He told me I would be very sore and just to try relax and gave me some pain killers and said he would be back to explain things further. Why? What aren't they telling me?" the heart monitor she was attached to started to beep a bit faster, signalling her distress.

"Shh Sookie, shh! It's okay sweetheart. The doctor will come back to explain things. I'm sure the police will want to talk to you at some point as well." I tried to sooth her as much as I could. I couldn't bring myself to tell her what had happened to her. I couldn't even let myself think about that never mind saying it out loud. She still hadn't relaxed completely but the monitor slowed down back to a normal rate again.

As if on cue Dr Crane appeared at the door. He asked if Sookie was comfortable with Pam and I staying in the room while they talked and she said yes but Pam excused herself. I knew she didn't want to hear all of this again and I didn't blame her. I had to be here for Sookie though so I couldn't escape like I wanted to.

He sat in a chair on the other side of the bed to me and scooted forwards a bit so he was closer to Sookie. I could tell she was nervous and I don't think my fidgeting and squeezing her hand tight was helping her.

He started telling her about her injuries to her shoulders and cheek bone etc. and she just sat nodding along. Then he went on to tell her about how she was violated. She gasped and seemed to be struggling for breath. It broke my heart into a million pieces. It was bad enough that it was done to her but she couldn't remember and had to be told what had been done to her. She didn't look at me while the doctor was talking to her. He explained that there would be no lasting damage done and that a counsellor would be round at some point to talk to her about it if she wanted. Dr Crane excused himself and closed the door behind him.

Sookie finally lifted her eyes up to meet mine and once she saw that I had fresh tear trails down my face it pushed her over the edge and she burst out crying. I adjusted myself on the bed so I could wrap my arms around her. I did it gently but she wrapped hers around me and held onto me tightly. I knew it must be hurting her but I didn't say anything and just let her hold onto me.

I knew I had to be strong but I couldn't stop myself crying along with her. It was such an awful thing that had happened to her and I knew she needed someone to comfort her right now. I sat and stroked her hair and whispered into her hair how much I loved her and how I was going to stay by her side until she was fed up with me and she wasn't going to go through his alone, that I would be here for her.

She cried herself to sleep in my arms. I didn't notice at first because she had stopped crying out loud for a while but continued to hold onto me tightly and I heard her little sniffles every now and then. But eventually I felt her arms loosen and I looked down and saw her eyes closed. I gently lay her back down on the bed and moved to sit in the chair Dr Crane had been occupying. I moved it even closer and rested my arms on the side of her bed, then rested my head down.

I could still see her face from this angle and I just sat and stared at her. I was thankful that she was still here. It could have gone a completely different way and she could have been killed and taken away from me. I couldn't say we were lucky though, this was still a fucking disaster. I tried not to think about how it could have ended up but I couldn't help myself. My heart was swelling uncomfortably as I cried silently into my arms.

I hated the monster who did this to her, to us. She wasn't alone in this, that was for sure. I would be there for her to help her get through this. Nothing was going to stop me. I loved her so much it hurt.

I must have exhausted myself out as well as I felt my eyes slowly drooping, I tried to fight it but it was useless as they got heavier and heavier until they shut completely.

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**What do you think? Still liking the story?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi there, I am sooooo sorry for not updating in ages..I have had some commission work to do for a bakery doing posters and little name tags for all the different foods and it has taken up a lot more time than I thought it would. But that is out of the way now so I have been able to write another chapter. Hope you still enjoy it, I struggled a bit with how to go on from what has happened...I get really excited when I think up an idea and start writing it but a couple of chapters in I get stuck and don't know where to take the story. But I am going to try real hard to continue with this so I can say I have completed one. **

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**Chapter 7**

A little while later there was a knock on the door which woke both me and Sookie. Dr Crane came back in and behind him was a policeman. He introduced himself as Officer Bellefleur and came to sit down on the chair that was pushed up against the wall. He pulled it forwards so he was closer to the bed and started asking Sookie questions.

"So Miss Stackhouse, can you tell me what you remember?"

"I remember getting home from work and rushing to get ready; I was running a bit later than usual but didn't think I would need to text or ring Eric to let him know since I knew I would still be at the restaurant earlier than him." She looked over at me and smiled a tiny smile and squeezed onto my hand. "Then I left my apartment and was walking down my street when I felt a sharp pain on my head and then everything went black."

"So nothing else?"

"I'm sorry no."

It made me angry that Officer Bellefleur seemed to put out that she couldn't remember anything. It wasn't her fault she had this done to her, she shouldn't be the one saying sorry!

"Okay well I have my colleges looking over the footage from the CCTV cameras in and around your building to see if they have picked anything up. We are also looking for witnesses that were out on the streets to see if they saw what happened and if they recognised who did this to you."

Sookie just nodded and then he excused himself.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her as I stroked her arm. I wanted to stroke her face but I was too scared in case I hurt her.

"Very sore and uncomfortable."

"I'll go get a nurse to come give you some more pain medication," I started to get up but Sookie pulled hard on my hand.

"No Eric, don't leave me!" her eyes were panic stricken. Her heart monitor started beeped faster.

"Shh, shh!" I sat back down and this time I did stroke her face. "I am just going to get the nurse; I will be back straight away I promise. I can't let you be sitting here in pain." I explained but she was already shaking her head.

"No, no, please Eric. Don't leave, what if someone comes in here? You can't leave me on my own!" Tears were falling down her face rapidly and her breathing was coming out harsh and fast.

"Shh, Sookie. Darlin' I am not going anywhere okay? I will stay right here. I'm not going anywhere," I wrapped my arms around her as she did the same for me and I sat and rocked us back and forwards until she was moaning in pain. Shit!

"I will look for a call button okay? I am staying in the room with you," I added when her eyes went wide. I found one on the wall by her bed and a nurse came in a minute later with her medication.

As soon as she had been given it she fell back into a deep sleep.

I had never seen her look so panicked before. I was only leaving the room, but after what she had been through, whether she remembered it or not she was going to have a lot to deal with and I knew that she was going to need a lot of help to get through this.

I sat back and watched her sleep for what felt like hours. Hell it could have been. I had no idea how much time had passed. I felt numb like this was some fucked up dream. I hoped it was.

A light knock on the door startled me and Pam walked through.

"She's fast asleep; they had to give her some more medication because of the pain." She just nodded and came and sat on the arm of the chair I was occupying. She didn't say a word, she just sat ad stared at her best friend.

It dawned on my then that Sookie wasn't the only one that was going to need help. Pam finding Sookie in that situation has got to have done some damage. She wasn't going to forget it easily. We are all going to have to help each other and seek help as well.

I started rubbing circles on Pam's back and then suddenly she started crying again. I wrapped my arm round her hips and pulled her onto my lap. She rested her head on my shoulder and just cried all the tears she had left. I had never seen Pam like this before and it scared me.

Growing up we had both been tough, unemotional people who never let other get us down. We have always been fiercely protective of each other and those we loved. We have always been all each other has had until Pam met Sookie. At first Pam thought Sookie's bright and bubbly character was hilarious; she didn't believe she was always that happy. She thought she was fun though to have around and eventually despite the two of them being complete opposites they became the best of friends. That lead to me being introduced and I knew as soon as I saw her that she was something special.

She was beautiful, she was confident; she didn't take no sass from anybody. She was extremely interesting and I couldn't get enough of her.

Unfortunately she had a boyfriend at the time. Boring Bill. I couldn't understand what she saw in him, he was boring and a jerk. I hated him and so did Pam. We told her often enough but it just got her upset since she said she loved him. We stopped poking fun at him to keep her happy. But then one night she came home and admitted that we were right. She said she couldn't stand him and that he gave her the creeps. She had stayed with him for years because she knew he wouldn't just let her go and she thought it was just easier to stay with him. She didn't have many friends because of Bill and he hated the fact that she had grown so close to myself and Pam. Sookie told us that since she had the support of the both of us she felt like she was strong enough to leave him. She had new friends, a good job and a great apartment. The only thing wrong in her life was him.

Of course he didn't take it very well at all. He was furious and accused her of cheating on him with me. He took out all his anger and started insulting Sookie calling her fat and ugly and worthless.

Me and Pam could hear him screaming at her from up in Pam's apartment. We were both furious and rushed down to kick him out. I gave him an extra hard punch in the face and was extremely happy with the sound of his nose breaking.

He called her a bitch and left. She never heard from him again, even though she was spooked for a while after that thinking that he was going to come back. She had thought she had seen him a couple of times out on the streets but it was either too busy for her to check or she was driving past so she couldn't stop.

That had all happened about 3 years ago now. Shortly after that me and her had grown closer and we eventually started dating. We were so good together and were so happy. You know when you are just so happy it feels wrong? Like you were never meant to be this happy and are terrified of something coming along and tearing it all apart? That's how we both felt.

Sookie had often told me she can't believe Bill went that easily in the end. She was scared in case one day he came back to haunt her. She had known him since they were both 16 and he had always been obsessed with her.

Fuck...

Surely not, but...what if it had been Bill? He knows where she lives, he did used to have a key to her apartment and I always got a creepy vibe from him.

Fuck fuck fuck!

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**Whatcha' think?**


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